Project Overview

Pavilions has reimagined urban life at Sydney Olympic Park in line with the government’s vision for a revitalised town centre.
Mirvac collaborated closely with Sydney Olympic Park Authority to deliver high-quality housing and infrastructure that would shift the precinct’s identity beyond recreation/elite achievement to a place that feels like home.
In a competition-winning concept by BVN, with detailed design by Mirvac Design, four diverse residential buildings are oriented around 4500sqm of open gardens. The varied skyline and mix of warm materiality, including face brick, create a distinctly domestic ambience.
Mirvac’s largest-ever single-stage residential project was completed on time and within budget in October 2020, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, delivering 690 apartments/terraces (380 build-to-sell, the rest build-to-rent) and 1500sqm of retail space.
Lavish attention has been paid to the welcome-home experience, with a grand colonnade entry plus a landscaped ground plane encouraging both social interaction and private enjoyment. Privacy and security are balanced with connectivity to public streets and community spaces.
Many sustainability measures have been implemented, from passive design to efficient fixtures and 1200 bicycle racks. Pavilions is also home to an industry-first apartment constructed using ‘green ceramics’ manufactured from waste – a blueprint for how future development can join the circular economy.
Meanwhile, the outstanding amenities offered for tenant residents are highly flexible/adaptable to changing needs. Further, the ample on-site green space plus proximity of food, services, employment, recreation and transport within a walkable catchment will help to sustain a safe and resilient community in future.

Organisation

Mirvac Residential

 

Project Brief

Under the Sydney Olympic Park Authority Master Plan 2030, Sydney Olympic Park has been identified as a future lifestyle precinct with plans for a vibrant town centre, new homes and outstanding social, economic and environmental benefits for Sydneysiders.
Sydney Olympic Park Authority envisioned a village of slimline towers at the gateway to the rejuvenated precinct – high-quality, sensitively executed architecture that would attract a new generation of residents, add lifestyle drawcards and build a thriving community.
Via major and premium residential developments like Pavilions, Sydney Olympic Park aims to re-identify itself as more than a destination for recreation/elite achievement – as a place to come home to.
Pavilions occupies a prominent position at the entry to Sydney Olympic Park, acting as a beacon for the entire rejuvenated precinct. Form engages existing built fabric, including adjacent developments. Pavilions’ highest tower, originally earmarked for 30 storeys, was elevated to 35 storeys to stand up to its neighbour and achieve visual balance at this important gateway.
Council required that a 20-metre view corridor be retained through the heart of the site, which inspired the orientation of the four buildings around 4500sqm of central open green space. This in turn has maximised the northern aspects, natural light and scenic views into and from apartments.

Project Innovation/Need

Pavilions has pioneered a number of firsts for Mirvac: the first purpose-built build-to-rent asset, the first apartment constructed using ‘green ceramics’, and Sydney Olympic Park’s first terrace product.
A mix of architectural solutions and materiality establish a village-like richness and layers of identity within the development. The domestic ambience and human scale are achieved via face-brick at the podium level, setbacks above, and a terrace typology activating the streetscape on Figtree Drive.
The site’s existing colossal Moreton Bay fig trees anchor the urban design, connecting past and present, resident and community. Two provide canopy for a new public green fringed by 1500sqm of retail.
Design focuses on the welcome-home experience for residents. The colonnade entry harnesses light/shadow, repetition and green views for a sense of grandeur and arrival. It culminates in the dramatic ‘Figtree’ sculpture by Jade Oakley which moves in the wind, glows in the evenings and reflects the scale of the adjacent fig trees.
Such refined details at ground plane further humanise the high-rise architecture and amplify its domesticity.
As with built forms, landscape architecture by 360 Degrees focuses on user emotions. A tapestry of diverse green spaces, including intimate dining pavilions, kitchen garden and playground, encourages both social interaction and moments of private enjoyment at the ground plane, and is equally compelling when viewed from the apartments above.
An exceptional standard of amenity for exclusive use of tenant residents also sets Pavilions apart and includes a children’s area, workspaces, cinema, kitchen/function rooms, outdoor entertaining and yoga studio.

Design Challenge

Mirvac identified a shift in demand during development towards high-quality build-to-rent product. Two of Pavilions’ four buildings were converted to build-to-rent during development, resulting in an exceptional standard of amenity for exclusive use of these tenant residents. Iterative design changes were made to accommodate this build-to-rent conversion, which would not have been possible if not for Mirvac’s all-under-one-roof business model. This allowed the developer to pivot for the best business outcome while maintaining the highest build quality and exceptional user experience. For example, an enclosed footbridge was added between the two buildings to provide equitable access to the dedicated amenities level. The bridge’s organic curves, subtle slope (to resolve different floor heights) and high-quality finishes enhance the arrival experience for tenant residents and their guests.
Meanwhile, the floorplates for Building 2 exceeded the original requirements of Sydney Olympic Park Authority. As mentioned, the Authority had wanted all precinct towers to be far more slimline. The solution was to align two different forms and façade treatments around a central lift/stairwell core, to give the impression of two individual slim towers rather than one larger building.

Sustainability

Passive design enhances both environmental sustainability and residents’ health and wellbeing. Full-height windows maximise natural light, with double-glazing in 50% of apartments for insulation/efficiency.
There are also water-efficient fixtures, energy-efficient appliances, zoned air-conditioning and e-diverters in waste chutes. Subsoil groundwater has been used for irrigation, while rainwater is collected for toilet flushing, laundry (optional) and irrigation. Supply for these uses is topped up by recycled water from Sydney Olympic Park’s WRAMs System.
Greener movement networks are optimised via dedicated car-share spaces, 1200 bicycle racks, electric vehicle chargers (plus additional future provisions) and proximity to public transport.
Pavilions features an industry-first apartment constructed using ‘green ceramics’ manufactured from waste glass and textiles – the result of a collaboration with Professor Veena Sahajwalla and the UNSW SMaRT Centre. The apartment’s floor/wall tiles, kitchen-island fronts, light-fittings, furniture and artworks manufactured from these green ceramics offer a blueprint for how future development can join the circular economy in ways that are desirable, feasible, scalable.
One major site constraint at Pavilions was a huge Moreton Bay fig tree on the western border of the site. It was a condition of consent that this tree, together with two others on the Australia Avenue frontage, be retained for local biodiversity and historic importance. Mirvac went to extraordinary lengths to ensure the successful relocation of the tree to the southern end of the site. It took six months of preparation and 10 hours of delicate manoeuvring by two 70-tonne excavators to move the 170-tonne tree just 70 metres.